Faith is sufficient to those who hang on to its reasons. The topics of faith include:

+ Baptism.

+ Confessing the One God, His three manifestations (Trinity).

+ Acknowledge that His Son Jesus Christ is born before all ages.

+ Acknowledge that the Holy Spirit proceeds from Him and is Lord equal

to Him (Christ) in essence.

+ Believe in the general resurrection of all the descendants of Adam.

+ Believe in the Eternal Life of the coming ages (age of ages).

But when many from around the world entered unto faith, scientists, philosophers, and wisemen, were not satisfied by the simplicity of faith alone. They wanted to prove it through theoretical research, aiming to be certain about it, and to discover and understand what was hidden to the minds of the details of this honorable Christian religion. They wanted to match the proof with the literal meaning, and to remove the doubts planted by ignorant people. They started to investigate the basics of the religion and to prove the correctness of all beliefs. They were hoping to support the concept with the details of the subject and to reference the topic to its origin and the branch to its root, so that anyone who follows that faith from the highly educated knows that evidence and proof correctly support his faith.

One who investigates these topics has to work hard to understand the meanings, and to comprehend this knowledge truly. He has to tame his mind by debating the issues with those more knowledgeable because, unless one is proficient in the subjects of theology and philosophy, he might find it hard to understand since he does not have the basics of such subjects. When he reaches its deeper noble meaning, it will make his intellect deeper and noble also, because connection will occur between the similarities, and will not take place between the opposites. So, unless one cleanses his mind, and controls the desires of the flesh, and those of lavish living, he cannot reach the understanding in faith of this high and noble Knowledge. So we ask the Lord to guide us to learn, and to apply what we learn.

(Translated by Dr. William a. Hanna, from: Concerning Faith, its Origin and all its Parts: chapter one - Ibn Kabar).

When was the last time you openly and unashamedly praised God for helping you in your difficulties? Someone has said, "if Christians praised God more, the world would doubt him less". Not only is it appropriate therefore to express your gratitude for all his benefits, but your example may also encourage others to move from doubt to faith as you praise Him.

Whatever weight-loss plan you choose, you're bound to lose pounds at least for a while, but most dieters reach a plateau before they reach their goal, and many get discouraged when the thrill leaves before all the weight does. many give up and go back to their old ways of eating.

So whether we're talking about weight loss or spiritual gain, the message is the same: what matters most is not how we start but how we finish.

1.  Hate your sin, but never hate yourself.

2.  Be quick to repent.

3.  When God gives you light, walk in it.

4.  Stop saying negative things about yourself. God loves you and it is wrong to hate what He loves. He has great plans for you, so you are in conflict with Him when you speak negatively concerning your future.

5.  Never be afraid to admit that you have made a mistake and don't always assume that when things go wrong, it must be 'my fault'.

6.  Don't meditate excessively on what you have done, right or wrong; both of these activities keep your mind on you! Center your thoughts on Christ. ("You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on you, because He commits himself to you, leans on you, and hopes confidently in you." (Isaiah 26: 3)

7.  Take good care of yourself physically. Make the best of what God gave you to work with, but don't be obsessed with your appearance. 

8.  Never stop learning but do not allow your education to become a point of pride. God does not use you because of what is in your head: He uses you because of what is in your heart.

9.  Realize that your talents are a gift, not something you have manufactured yourself; never look down on people who can't do what you do.

10.  Do not despise your weaknesses they keep you dependent on God.

(Author unknown)

When Minister Joe Wright was asked to open the new session of the Kansas senate, everyone was expecting the usual politically correct generalities. But what they heard instead, was a stirring prayer, passionately calling our country to repentance and righteousness. The response was immediate. A number of legislators walked out during the prayer in protest. In six short weeks, the central Christian church had logged more than 5,000 phone calls with only 47 of those calls responding negatively. The church is now receiving international requests for copies of the prayer. Commentator Paul Harvey aired the prayer and the rest of the story on the radio and received a larger response to this program than any other he has ever aired!

Heavenly father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and

to seek your direction and guidance.

We know your word says, "woe on those who call evil good," but

that's exactly what we have done.

We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values.

We confess that: we have ridiculed the absolute truth of your word and called it pluralism.

We have worshipped other gods and called it multiculturalism.

We have endorsed perversion and called it an alternative lifestyle.

We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.

We have neglected the needy and called it self-preservation.

We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.

We have killed our unborn children and called it a choice.

We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.

We have neglected to discipline our children and called it

building self-esteem.

We have abused power and called it political savory.

We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition.

We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression.

We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.

Search us, O God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Guide and bless these men and women who have been sent to direct us to the center of your will. I ask it in the name of your Son, the Living Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

What awesome insight! With the Lord's help, may this prayer sweep our nation and wholeheartedly become our desire so that we again can be called a Christian nation that fears the lord!

Let us all help to get the lord back into our lives and most importantly into the lives of our children. Amen. God bless this Minister!

Judy's rare brain condition required delicate surgery. The risky procedure took place in the operating room at a research hospital with many doctors and medical students observing. Just before the operation was to begin, the surgeon asked, "do you have any questions?" Judy replied, "may I pray for you?" with many looking on, she thanked God for the surgeon's great skill, asked wisdom for him, and committed the surgery into the lord's hands.

How it must delight God's heart when we unashamedly bring our cares to him with thanksgiving! Judy didn't ask god to spare her life. She was sure that her Heavenly Father knew how much she longed to live. She simply thanked Him for the surgeon's knowledge and skill, and entrusted herself to the great physician's special care.

A woman repeated a bit of gossip about a neighbor. Within a few days the whole community knew the story. The person it concerned was deeply hurt and offended. Later the woman responsible for spreading the rumor learned that it was completely untrue. She was very sorry and went to a wise old sage to find out what she could do to repair the damage.

"Go to the marketplace," he said, "and purchase a chicken, and have it killed. Then on your way home, pluck its feathers and drop them one by one along the road."

Although surprised by this advice, the woman did what she was told.

The next day the wise man said, "Now go and collect all those feathers you dropped yesterday and bring them back to me."

The woman followed the same road, but to her dismay, the wind had blown the feathers all away. After searching for hours, she returned with only three in her hand.

"You see," said the old sage, "it's easy to drop them, but it's impossible to get them back. So it is with gossip. It doesn't take much to spread a rumor, but once you do, you can never completely undo the wrong."

Hanna, a poorly dressed Egyptian lady with a look of defeat on her face, walked into a grocery store in Upper Egypt. She approached the owner of the store in a most humble manner and asked if he would let her charge a few groceries. She softly explained that her husband was very ill and unable to work. They had seven children and they needed food. Moheb, the grocer, scoffed at her and requested that she leave his store. Visualizing the family needs, she said, 'Please, I will bring you the money just as soon as I can. "Moheb told her that he could not give her credit, as she did not have a charge account at his store.

Standing beside the counter was a customer who overheard the conversation between the two. The customer walked forward and told the grocery man that he would stand good for whatever she needed for her family. The grocery man said in a very reluctant voice, "Do you have a grocery list?" Hanna replied "Yes sir" "O.K." he said, "put your grocery list on the scales and whatever your grocery list weighs, I will give you that amount in groceries." Hanna, hesitated a moment with a bowed head, then she reached into her purse and took out a piece of paper and scribbled something on it. She then laid the piece of paper on the scale carefully with her head still bowed.

The eyes of the grocery man and the customer showed amazement when the scales went down and stayed down. The grocery man staring at the scales turned slowly to the customer and said begrudgingly, "I can't believe it. "The customer smiled and the grocery man started putting the groceries on the other side of the scales. The scales did not balance so he continued to put more and more groceries on them until the scales would hold no more.

The grocery man stood there in utter disgust. Finally, he grabbed the piece of paper from the scales and looked at it with greater amazement. It was not a grocery list, it was a prayer, which said: "Dear Lord, you know my needs and I am leaving this in your hands."

The grocery man gave her the groceries that he had gathered and placed on the scales and stood in stunned silence. Hanna thanked him and left the store. The customer handed a fifty pounds to Moheb as he said, "It was worth every penny of it."

( By Max A Forsythe)

The word of the Lord had come to Jonah to go to the great city of Nineveh. There he was to preach against the city's wickedness. And what was Jonah's reaction? He ran away. He tried to flee to Tarshish! Along the

way, Jonah had an interesting experience. Jonah was swallowed by a Great Fish. Evidently, this fish was ill through the providence of God. Because, Jonah was not consumed by the acids of the Great Fish's stomach. In fact, like some of the larger sick sea creatures today, it beached itself upon the sea shore and deposited Jonah in safety!

Jonah had been a little cramped! He probably couldn't move, there wasn't any light. At first, he probably thought that he was going to die. And what did he do? Like a lot of people who find themselves unexpectedly in a mess, he prayed. Isn't this the way of the world? Very many people know that there is a God. They know that he has at least Ten Commandments. And yet, like Jonah, they run away. At least until, they too end up in the jaws of a predicament. And like Jonah, very many people pray to God in their despair! Like Jonah, you too have fled from what God has commanded. Now, we won't get specific about all the possibilities. But, you all realize that the Holy Spirit has convicted you regularly of your short comings and your out and out enjoyment of sin.

Let us pray that like Jonah's prayer, God has heard our cry. Also, like Jonah, we hope and pray that each one will know that Salvation indeed comes from the Lord. All of this, we can see in Jonah's prayer in Chapter 2.

Jonah was lying exhausted on the beach. If he had the energy he would get up and run from the smell of himself. But, what happens? In Chapter 3 the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time! He went to Nineveh and preached. And what happened? The Lord blessed his work. So much so that Jonah was surprised. In fact, Jonah was even a little upset with the turn out of events. But the Lord is patient, and he lovingly teaches Jonah another lesson about His concern for wicked sinners who do not appear to be his own people.

Why is it so many people have to be swallowed almost whole by the great symbolic leviathan or Satan and all his henchmen as it were. Only when some people bottom out do they like Jonah admit that their life is ebbing away, and then and only then do they remember our Lord. In those bleak moments only a few remember our God.

Yet, according to God's promises and mercy, salvation comes in answer to prayers like Jonah's. Oh how good it would be if such experiences as Jonah's didn't have to happen to people, but we know the nature of mankind's heart and as in Jonah's case the Lord gains their attention so that they can pray the prayer of Jonah. May Jonah's prayer be ours today so that we do not have to forfeit the grace that could be ours even as it was Jonah's.

Key Concepts from the book of Jonah

1.  God loves all of the people in the whole world and wants everyone to be saved.

2.  When we know that God wants us to do something it is important that we do what He wants us to do.

3. Disobedience against the will of God can bring us into a place of great misery and fear.

4.  If we wish for God to forgive us our sins we should be happy when God forgives the sins of other people.

5.  We should love all of the people in the world and teach them about the love and forgiveness of God.

A young woman lived in a home where she was very unhappy. She often complained to her friends and told them how difficult it was for her to stay there. She blamed her parents and the other members of her family for her discontent and threatened to move out as soon as she could afford to be on her own.

One day, though, her face was graced with a happy smile. Gone was her usual glum expression. Her eyes were sparkling. There was a spring in her step. When a friend noticed the difference, she exclaimed, "Things must have improved at home. I'm so glad!" "No," the young woman responded, "I'm the one who's different!"

That young woman's outlook was brighter and her relationships with others were transformed. It wasn't because her circumstances had improved, but because she had experienced a change in her heart.

When we are confronted with irritating situations and we begin to feel sorry for ourselves, we should ask these questions: Is the trouble really with others? Or could it be me? As we ask the L-rd to fill us with His perfect love, it's amazing how life begins to look better. Letting God change us is the best way to change our world.